About once per week I venture to Firehouse Subs to pick up a Turkey Bacon Ranch sandwich and a bag of Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream chips. It's a delicious lunch at a great value, and its close proximity to work ensures that I can stay productive in addition to satisfying my hunger. Today, however, I was dismayed to find that a large goiter-esque mass of seasoning - think bright orange chicken nugget - took up 20-25% of the normal volume of chips. Aside from its disgusting aesthetic and the revolting thought of its caloric and fat contents, I was shorted a good 5-10 chips from an already small bag. I understand that manufacturing potato chips carries with it certain unavoidable side effects (namely, in this case, a congealed mass of vegetable oil, cheese cultures, onion powder, yeast extract and milk protein concentrate, to name a few), but I would hope that an industrial giant such as Frito Lay would employ tighter quality controls to prevent such a blob from reaching the consumer. And while I will no doubt continue to be a loyal customer in the future - the yummy goodness of Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream chips is a difficult addiction to overcome after almost three decades - it may be some time before I can eat your fine product without the stomach-churning memory of the aforementioned gunk nugget. I trust that you will endeavor to prevent future customer dissatisfaction issues such as this. Should you have an interest, I do have photo documentation to share.

Frito lay’s response:

Hi Andrew,

Thank you for writing. We're always concerned when a consumer has a negative experience with one of our snacks and apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment this caused. I'm sending coupons to you which should arrive in about a week.

From your description, the material you discovered in your package is most likely an accumulation of the seasoning and oil used in the manufacturing process. On occasion, these ingredients may stick together and form clumps that find their way into the bag. Procedures are in place to prevent these occurrences and we’re very sorry it did not happen in this instance.

Quality is a top priority at Frito-Lay. Thanks to the information you provided, we are better able to investigate and take any actions necessary to prevent a recurrence.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact us.

Should you have further questions or comments, please click on this link or copy/paste this link into your browser to send a reply: [REDACTED]Please do not hit reply in your e-mail.

Best regards,

LindaFrito-Lay Consumer Relations[REDACTED]

My response to their response:

I would like to thank Linda ([REDACTED]) for a timely, thorough reply to my earlier customer complaint. I appreciate her taking time to address my concern; her response befits what I would expect from a American corporate icon like Frito Lay. Please accept my gratitude for your customer-first ideals. I wish you continued success in the marketplace and I will continue to enjoy your products.

Their response to my response to their response:

Hi Andrew,

Thank you for taking the time to give us such nice feedback! I'll make sure that Linda Levak is recognized for the good service she provided to you.

We consider you a valued consumer and hope you will continue to enjoy snacks from Frito-Lay.

Sincerely,

Linda PhelpsConsumer Relations[REDACTED]

"God has a plan for me and this team. It's obvious I don't need to win [the Heisman] until next year.' Colt f'n McCoy

This is a response to a complaint from last summer. I wish I had saved the complaint. I don't think it was as eloquent as the Frito-Lay one, but I was legitimately irritated at: (1) our server's lack of knowledge regarding their beer selection, (2) the selection itself, and (3) not being informed of the new 6-beer limit policy until my 6th beer was brought out.

To his credit, the manager was very professional in his response. Aside from his curly hipster mustache, the dude seems like a pretty good guy.

Andrew-

Sorry to hear your frustrations, but know they do not fall on deaf ears. Unfortunately we did have to find a concrete policy to limit alcohol consumption even further than just cutting people off when they have had “enough”. While a limit can be very frustrating for people of all shapes and sizes, (I am 230lbs and can usually keep it together after 6 pints) but the fact remains that it is ultimately our responsibility to make sure people aren’t leaving our establishment intoxicated. We decided upon 6 pints, as it is perfectly reasonable for a person to consume 2 pints an hour, but after 3 hours of that it can start to add up. We expect our servers to let the customers know when they order their 5th beer, then their 6th will be their last, and it doesn’t sound like this was done properly during your visit, and for that I am sorry. We have this policy proudly displayed on the front of our menu so that people aren’t taken off guard or feel like we are just doing it to them.

You mentioned that our summer seasonal selection is very slim, are there any in particular that you would suggest we carry? I’m quite fond of Live Oak Roggenbier and Real Ale XV anniversary, which are both pouring right now, and we had a cask night last week with Jester King’s Drink’in the Sunbelt that was quite tasty. The week before we had a firkin of Independence Gold Deluxe on, but it flew of the shelves within the hour. Typically Summer seasonals are towards the bottom of the barrel quality wise, and we don’t always pick them all up.

On the note about the servers, most of them study very hard to keep up with all the beers coming and going and have all taken and passed 6 tests that test their knowledge. I drink at all the other beer bars around in town too, and as a Certified Cicerone very few of them have ever come close to answering any question I have. I stand by the fact that my staff is the best educated (and most willing to educate the customer) in town as a whole, but unfortunately there is a weak link in every chain and it sounds like you may have gotten a few bad draws. We strive to seek out any of the ones that don’t retain the knowledge we give them or strive to seek out more, but unfortunately it can take us a little while to weed them out.

I hope you come by to see us again sometime soon, and if you do, ask for Sam, I would love to answer any questions you might have.

Sam WynneManager/Certified Cicerone™Austin Flying Saucer

"God has a plan for me and this team. It's obvious I don't need to win [the Heisman] until next year.' Colt f'n McCoy

And to exhaust my archive, this is a complaint I sent to the brick House Tavern and Tap last summer after a disappointing lunch experience.

I was very disappointed initially in the portion size of my "Cheesy Forked Potatoes." After tasting, them, though, it was no longer a concern because I knew I wasn't going to eat them anyway. They were lukewarm and contained no trace of cheese. That was much more disappointing than the amount of food. Please rely on any other adjective than "cheesy" when naming a product that does not have cheese in it. You could call them Blackened Curry Paprika Pomegranate Forked Potatoes and it would have been as accurate. Otherwise the chopped steak was pretty good.

They did not send a reply, but someone from the corporate office in Houston actually called me the next day. But since it was Saturday morning, and I don't usually answer numbers I don't recognize, I ignored it. Sadly I never did call the guy back.

"God has a plan for me and this team. It's obvious I don't need to win [the Heisman] until next year.' Colt f'n McCoy

My Complaint I am writing tonight to let you know of a terrible experience we had tonight at your stone hill town center location in pflugerville. My wife and I are long time cinemark patrons, buying the refill cups every year, and seeing 10-20 movies a year at this theater. My wife is newly pregnant, and therefore can not drink anything with caffeine or a high sugar content, which every drink you sell other then water has at least one of those. My wife was not in the mood for water, and brought a caffeine free and sugar free drink with her to the theater tonight. We did not try to hide the fact that she brought a drink, and in fact were only asked about it when she asked if she could have a lid for her cup (her drink was in one of your 2012 refill cups). We understand your policy of no outside food and drink, and that people sneak things in because they don't want to pay you for a drink, but in this case you did not lose a sale on a drink as there was nothing you sell that she can medically drink! The lack of willingness of the manager on duty to waive the policy for a pregnant woman is appalling to me. My $35 was refunded to me tonight. But you lost more then a $35 sale tonight, you lost at least $500 a year and 2 very loyal customers over poor customer service.

Cinemark ResponseI discussed this situation with Ms. Sanford, the Assistant Manager that you had encountered at the Concession Stand. While we do have the ‘no outside food or drink policy,’ you are correct that she should have made a provision in you and your wife’s circumstance. I explained to her that while she did follow policy, we are in the Customer Satisfaction business as well. We here at Cinemark feel strongly about Customer Satisfaction and seems that we dropped the ball and I would like to apologize for this.If you would give us another chance to retain your business, please email me your mailing address and I would like to send you some complimentary Passes. Again, I certainly apologize for this incident and I appreciate you bringing this to my attention.

My email to Chuys today: Greetings, First of all let me say congrats for this location making it a year. However, if things don’t improve I don’t see how it can last another one. Being recent transplants from Round Rock, Chuy’s is our destination of choice over the other Mexican food restaurants here. I always wondered how we never had to wait very long, and I honestly believe it is because the service is generally slow, and oftentimes poor. Although we’ve had issues, last night took the cake. First of all we were given sweet tea even though we asked for regular tea. It took about 8 minutes to get them to come back with the correct ones. Then, when I ordered my Beef fajita panchos with no pico, they came ground beef. We sent them back and they came back with pico. Rather than say anything I just picked it off and ate it. Finally, from the time we asked for the bill until the time we signed a CC slip took another 20 minutes. Thanks for listening. Have a good day.

They called me and are sending GC for two meals.

utwiz sees everyone but himself as an idiot. i think he should look in the mirror.-OB

It's funny... I hardly ever send complaints/compliments but the one time that I did (or I can remember that I did) was to Storage Depot when we moved three years ago.

Basically, the woman who sits behind their desk is a major league c***bag and I sent typed and mailed letter to the manager and owner. Never got a single reply back. Nothing! That fucking place infuriarates me every time I think about. I killed them on Yelp and Merchant Circle but it all still feels hollow. I really wish that place would blow up.

Was in a good mood today so I offered up some positive feedback to Homeslice.

"My girlfriend and I visited Homeslice this past weekend for the first time in a while, and it was as delicious as always. The pepperoni and mushroom slices made me question why I would ever consider the local chain delivery, and we split the Italian sub, which is in my opinion the best sandwich in Austin. As always, the service was prompt and courteous (props to our server, Shane). Keep up the great work, and when the time comes to expand, I don't think you can go wrong with the Mueller Town Center."

"God has a plan for me and this team. It's obvious I don't need to win [the Heisman] until next year.' Colt f'n McCoy

I complained to American Airlines last week because this is the SECOND time that I've been overcharged for drinks on a plane. They SAY that they are going to run your card again to reverse the charges... but that never actually happens. They just run it again for the right amount and give you the receipt for the right amount so you feel good. You'll later find out that you've been charged twice.

I let AA know that I was PISSED about this. The first time this happened, I had to jump through hoops, go to the finance department and spend about 90 minutes on the phone (3 calls at 30 minutes each) in order to try and recoup my $12 which never came through. This time, the it was for $14 incorrectly charged.

I got a quick response and $100 voucher towards future flights. I was also promised that they'd forward the point to "finance" but I'm not holding my breath on that one...

------------------------

Dear Mr. Plunk:

Thank you for contacting American Airlines Customer Relations.

Our aim is not simply to provide safe transportation but to help our customers enjoy a pleasant and satisfying journey along the way. Therefore, we are very sorry that your most recent travel experience with us was disappointing for you.

We expect all of our employees to be courteous, efficient and professional at all times. As a frequent traveler, you are certainly well qualified to judge our service and it is always helpful for us to consider our products and services from our customers' perspective. Please be assured that a copy of your comments has been forwarded to our Vice President of Flight Service to be used when reviewing procedures and customer service standards with our staff. Mr. Plunk, it's true that it is our people who determine the kind of impression we leave.

Further, we regret the problem with the food charge. We have forwarded your information to our accounting department for review. For your reference, your American Airlines ticket number is 0017106456765/Record Locator PWQGAW/ Flight 785 on July 2, 2012 from LGA to DFW.Should you need to contact personnel in that department, the address and phone number are:American Airlines Inc.Passenger Refund ServicesPO Box 200025El Paso, TX 88520-9905(918) 254-3777(918) 254-3967 (FAX)Also, as a gesture of goodwill, we have made arrangements for an eVoucher for you. The eVoucher may be used towards the purchase of a ticket for travel on American Airlines or American Eagle within 12 months from the date of issue. While the eVoucher itself is nontransferable and cannot be sold or bartered, you may use it to buy a ticket for a friend or relative if you prefer.Mr. Plunk, we value your loyalty and support and hope to have the privilege of welcoming you aboard for years to come when your travel plans include air transportation. It is always a pleasure to serve you.

why don't you run back to the sandbox where the rest of the kids are playing so the adults can have a discussion...it's over there....you see Howie, he's over there with PMS knocking over other kids sandcastles...looks like fun.

Airlines are the worst. SWA is about the only one I ever fly (thanks to Kristina) and I have no issues with it, because they always seem to have their shit together. I did like the Jet Blue tvs on the way back from Vegas last fall, but they have a limited presence.

"God has a plan for me and this team. It's obvious I don't need to win [the Heisman] until next year.' Colt f'n McCoy

So good to hear that you and your girlfriend are loving Home Slice. (The Italian is my personal fav as well!)We will definitely pass on the good word to Shane.It means a lot to us that you care enough about Home Slice to leave your neighborhood and head South. We haven't ruled out expansion, but we are still working hard to pursue excellence in our original location. We hope you keep visiting us for years to come.

Thanks!Nano Whitman

"God has a plan for me and this team. It's obvious I don't need to win [the Heisman] until next year.' Colt f'n McCoy

txlonghorn47 wrote:I really liked Virgin when I flew it, but they too are pretty limited on where they fly.

This.

As someone who flys a few miles each year, I would highly recommend you trying Virgin America if you get the chance.

Right now, they only fly DFW to Cali based destinations (LAX & SFO) but will hopefully be opening up more routes in the next few years. They offer plenty of flights from the west coast to the east coast.

Best airline in America right now.

why don't you run back to the sandbox where the rest of the kids are playing so the adults can have a discussion...it's over there....you see Howie, he's over there with PMS knocking over other kids sandcastles...looks like fun.

Yeah I flew them DFW to Vegas, but you had to stop in San Fran. It was about $150 cheaper than Southwest. Little bit longer flight than most SW flights since you had to go all the way to San Fran, but the $150 and the experience of their flights was well worth it.

"I like cussing, getting drunk, and fooling around with women" Danny Balis

I dunno. I really like it when American's old, bitter and cranky flight attendants bitch at me on flights and come across as entirely put out when you make a simple request or if you don't order your drink quickly enough.

SWA and JetBlue come in at 51 & 52 and then you get to the Delta's and United's of the world.

As expected, my airline AA where I put up about 120K-150K miles each year with is.... 86.

They are indeed, terrible.

why don't you run back to the sandbox where the rest of the kids are playing so the adults can have a discussion...it's over there....you see Howie, he's over there with PMS knocking over other kids sandcastles...looks like fun.